Recently, a number of electrical control devices have been built in as integral parts of a camera. Therefore, the power source powering these electrical devices becomes unavoidably bulky.
The power source device comprises a battery box and a plurality of dry batteries loaded in the battery box and is arranged as shown in FIGS. 1-3. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first example of a conventional camera, and FIG. 2 shows a second example of the conventional camera.
In the first example of the conventional camera shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the camera body 11 has a bulging shaped grip 12 on the left-hand side as viewed from the front of the camera so that the internal volume is increased. A plurality of batteries 13 are loaded in a battery box within the grip 12. In the second example of the conventional camera shown in FIG. 3, a casing 14 is provided under the camera body 11, and a plurality of batteries 13 are loaded in a battery box set in the lower casing 14.
In the first example of the conventional camera described above, the grip 12 is greatly extended sidewardly, and therefore it is rather difficult for the operator (photographer) to grip the camera. Furthermore, the center of gravity of the camera is on the side of the camera body rather than on the side of the grip 12, and therefor it is rather difficult for the operator to stably hold the camera With the hand.
The second example of the conventional camera is bulkier than the first example. Similarly as in the first example, in the second example, the center of gravity of the camera is on the side of the camera body, and therefore it is rather difficult for the operator to stably hold the camera by hand.
A photographic camera with a flash emitting device is also well known in the art. Two typical examples of the camera of this type are as shown respectively in FIGS. 4 and 5 and in FIG. 6.
In the first example of the conventional camera with flash, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a flash emitting unit 113 is provided at a central part 112a of the camera body 112 which protrudes above a lens barrel 111 in such a manner that the flash emitting unit 113 is retractable. The camera body 112 has a grip 112b on its one side which is expanded toward the front and back of the camera body 112. Batteries 14 and a flash power storage capacitor 115 are set inside the grip 112b.
In the second example of the conventional camera with flash, as shown in FIG. 6, a flash emitting unit 113 is provided at the upper side portion of the camera body 112. Batteries 114 and a flash power storage capacitor 115 are provided inside a grip 112b which is similar than that of the first example of the camera of FIGS. 4 and 5.
In the above-described conventional cameras with flash, it is impossible to provide a sufficiently long distance between the axis of the photographic lens and the flash emitting unit 113. Therefore, the cameras suffer from a so-called "red-eye phenomenon" in which, in the resultant picture the photographed person's eyes are pink. Furthermore, a part of the lens barrel 111 protrudes into the flash illuminating angle. Therefore the light from the flash is partially blocked by the lens barrel 111.
In the second example of the conventional camera, the front of the flash emitting unit 113 may be inadvertently partially covered by the hand holding the grip 112b.